Columbia Metro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbia, South Carolina 29202
Friday, May 31, 1985 11:31 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING A DESCENT TO 2100 FT, INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OFFS WERE MADE AT 5000, 4000, & 3000 FT. HE STATED THAT AT 2200 FT, CARB HEAT WAS REMOVED & POWER WAS APPLIED FOR THE LEVEL OFF. HOWEVER, WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH & WOULD NOT SUSTAIN LEVEL FLT. THE PLT STATED THAT ALL COMBINATIONS OF POWER & CARB HEAT WERE TRIED, BUT PROVIDED NO CHANGE. THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED OVER A DENSE FOREST, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A LAKE. THE ACFT SANK IN 14 FT OF WATER. IT WAS RECOVERED, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED. THE CARB HEAT CABLE WAS LOOSE, BUT THERE WAS IMPACT DAMAGE IN THAT AREA. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 74 & 68 DEGS RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CARB ICING WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF THE CARB HEAT HAD NOT BEEN USED OR HAD NOT FUNCTIONED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1131
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City COLUMBIA
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29202
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COLUMBIA METRO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CAE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 8
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1151 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID CAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 363
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 580
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28176
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5221F
NTSB Number ATL85LA176
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 172-53254
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 6000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U.S.A.F. LANGELY AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 686-LANGELY AFB
Aircraft Owner City HAMPTON AFB
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23665
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City HAMPTON
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 610
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --